Hands-on Preview posted for Sony A560!By
Zig Weidelich, The Imaging Resource
(Tuesday, August 24, 2010 - 00:01 EDT)The Alpha A560 retains its predecessor's 14.2 megapixel, APS-C sized image sensor, along with the A550's unusual secondary sensor that allows phase detection autofocusing during live view, but upgrades the autofocus system significantly. It's now based around a 15-point AF sensor, of which three are cross-type points. In addition, the Sony A560 now allows contrast detect AF in its Focus Check live view mode. Also new to the Sony Alpha A560 is its high definition movie recording capability, at up to 1,920 x 1,080 pixel (Full HD) resolution, with stereo audio -- either from a built in microphone, or an external mic with 3.5mm jack. Sweep Panorama has appeared in Sony's Cyber-shot and NEX-series cameras previously, and is now making its debut in an Alpha DSLR. The function, which offers 2D and 3D modes, automatically captures numerous images as the Sony A560 is panned across the scene, and then stitches the result in-camera to create a single seamless image. A new Multi-Frame NR function overlays six sequential images in-camera, to create one final exposure with about a two stop improvement in signal to noise ratio. To learn more, visit our Sony A560 Hands-on Preview which includes initial test results and images.